Well, I must say that wasn’t exactly the Canberra Royal we had planned….nor the lead up to Grand Nationals and Sydney Royal! Really disappointing there because Encore was looking and working the best he has yet. Guess there is always next year, if we are lucky enough to qualify. And of course very sad not to be riding my favourite big horse at GN’s!

A head/brain injury and a broken toe – For a smaller body part, I did a good job and obliterated my big toe/ball of my foot which one does need for walking, not to mention riding. At the moment my short term memory is hilariously bad. I forgot to put chaff in the feeds the other day. Things could be much worse, I hope the lovely Silva Martin can be back in the saddle in the future, even the smallest of trips can have the biggest consequences.

Anyway, I determined to try and make use of all this new found time somehow!! 🙂

I made myself useful by plaiting a tail before we left, it was also good to get some practice in before I do E’s later this week. Or at least plait at royal standard.

Gunning show ground isn’t that far off the federal highway and in between was a huge paddock with some very friendly horses. (Encore had friends!)!
We has definitely brought the rain with us as the show ground and surrounds looked very wet.

I usually don’t work E beforehand but seeing as how he had a big trip the day before I tacked him up in the lunge gear and we had a wander around for a while. The show turned out to be running quite slowly or at least a long wait as lots of other classes were on. Also a dilemma as the tones ambulance was called to an accident so everyone was off their horses until it was back. Fair enough because the sporting was fast and furious. I took a video of which I will upload later but I have never seen anything like it!

Our ridden Arabian derivative came up first and he worked perfectly and won it. In the Champion workout one of the flag races started which majorly startled Encore (5th spook in his life!). The judges called out for us to stop as she thought it was very unfair and didn’t want to give him a fright (her words). That was quite lovely of her as he isn’t one to behave like that and so she allowed him to run through his workout again which was foot perfect. The other horse worked very nicely and didn’t have any races mid workout but it was nice of the rider to be understanding enough of the situation that she didn’t seem annoyed. So he went Ch & Supreme Ridden Arab Deriv.

Another long wait I thought what the heck I will do my rider class. Actually turned out to be lots of people in it and the judge worked out about 12 people! E nailed the Champion workout for me which includes a sitting extension and extended canter…nothing terribly hard but he let me look pretty. Amusing thing was my phone rang mid workout (and not on silent!) so we had a nice bit if hunting themed music to ride to!

As we started the Galloway classes it absolutely pelted down, reins became hard to hold and my boots filled with water. The judge very kindly combined a lot of classes and judged then on the circle in an effort to run through things. Encore worked flawlessly considering the conditions and scored himself another tri colour. Some very nice horses in the class however I think being from the North Coast we are used to riding in torrential rain!

Seeing as how we were already soaked we stayed for the Ansa classes. I rode not very nicely as I was bloody frozen but Encore kept things together for me. He scored a new ANSA saddlecloth for his efforts.

Last was Supreme hack, days like this he is such a angel of a horse and it was pouring with rain harder than before. Horse land voucher in the bag! Woohoo!

I dropped the ramp and put him on the float saddle, ribbon and all and untacked him in there. I have never been so wet & cold, if if known it was going to rain like that I think we would have just left!

We were both surely grateful for hot showers & warm clothes!!! A good last show before the royal though.

So what a year that was! I am rather glad I started and kept us with this blog because it was a fairly interesting year, devastating and exceedingly brilliant all in one. One of the more poignant ones with many moments I will remember for a lifetime.

Starting the Year I didn’t really post any goals or achievements I wished to work towards. I think this post certainly lives up to its name. I would certainly never dreamt this time last year I would be in the position I am now, with the opportunities I have been given. Truly grateful to Ladies (and Gents) of the Aussie Dressage world for being so extremely generous with their time, knowledge and horses.

So here is my semi defining list of moments for 2013

1. Canberra Royal – I should really thank the giver of the biggest backhanded compliment I’ll probably ever receive. Opened my eyes up 🙂

2. Boneo Park – The gorgeous facilities but more importantly meeting a wonderful new friend, getting a ride on a gorgeous WB.

3. Miss S arriving. Everybody involved was so incredibly nice and went out of their way!

4. Lost my Louis dog, so suddenly. Forever Loved. I clipped our little Lochie today and shed a few tears in that familiar face looking back at me.

5. I did finish my exams, admittedly the months leading up to my final exam around June was a very hard slog. Thankfully passed my final unit and got the results back the day after I paid the deposit on S.

Not a particularly note worthy drive other than being very sad to leave the dressage diva lifestyle.

Came home to serious wetness….stables were rather damp, paddock chest high grass yet rather wet underfoot. Boys got all rugs off and put in the back paddock together to hoon…and hoon they did!

Unpacked the float, unplaited the ponies and although happy to be home (no sweeping??) Boneo Park soon felt like a world away. The week’s experience will certainly not be forgotten though, a big thankyou to the Boneo Park staff for making us feel so welcome and the agistees for putting up with us.

Park Hack class – E worked superbly. Perhaps the best ride I have had on him to date, the epitome of a true ladies Galloway he was an absolute joy to show.

Good pony 🙂

I let him out for a rider class, at very short notice – the lovely girl riding him didn’t have time to practice a sitting extended trot but I promised her if she sat and asked him he would do it for her, in the workout it was up the centre line…He rocked it 🙂

E’s open I think was the most strongest class of the show, 7 horses including some seriously decorated National and Royal Champions. E was a commendable 6th, the fat kid amongst the lightweight types I was very happy with him.